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Mark "The Dragon" Cross
The NFL Cross became one of the first EU players to hold a skill position in the NFL, when he was brought to the Oakland Raiders from the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europa, wearing the #12 jersey. He played 4 seasons, holding down the starting job at Running Back. His power running and deceptive agility made him an asset on the ground, and his catching ability made him a viable option in the air. Consistently holding a spot in the top 10 Running Backs in the league, it was a surprise that Cross was unable to find a new team when his 4-year contract with the Raiders expired. Cross was considered for a shock return to the league as he joined up with the Green Bay Packers practice squad at the beginning of the 2011-12 season, but his services were not retained. Early Wrestling Career Cross had been a wrestling fan since a young age, and as the phone had not rung with a contract offer, he enlisted the help of ring veteran Leon "Octane" McKane and set about a change in career. By his own admission, he was awful. He could take some punishment, and could throw a decent punch or two, but that was all he had. Japan After a less than impressive first 18 months in wrestling, Cross took drastic action. He travelled to Japan to train in the Pro Wrestling JAPAN dojo, where with much hard work, he moulded himself into a Japanese Strong Style wrestler. He joined PWJ on their Spring Tour, carving out a winning record, culminating in an epic title challenge that raised the roof off the venue, which ended in defeat for Cross after a 30-minute battle. The Dragon tends to return to Japan at every given opportunity, preferring "pure wrestling" to the more entertainment based style of the States. American Wrestling Alliance Cross joined up with AWA after returning from the PWJ Spring tour that year. He was a perfect fit for the long-standing company that relied on a small roster of technically proficient talent, boasting a number of individuals who had already earned themselves a spot in the AWA Hall of Fame. The Brit slotted almost instantly into a battle with cocky young high-flyer Evan Heir, and the pair brought the house down on more than one occasion as the Cruiserweight title exchanged hands between them. Cross' attention soon switched to Trendkill, a highly rated Indy wrestler who was thrown in as a fresh new contender for the Cruiserweight crown. The two traded a war of words in front of the camera, building up to a brutal attack backstage that took Cross out of action for the rest of the night. Trendkill was never able to match up in the ring however, the fued lost momentum, and Trendkill disappeared. Cross' proudest moment in the company came during a show back in his home country, held at the Wembley Arena. Cross was thrown into a triple-threat match with World champion and Hall of Famer Brian “Fucking” Stevens. Cross used a barrier to unleash a springboard DDT on Stevens that drove his face hard into the ring ramp, and went on to win the match. Despite his impressive win record against some of the biggest names in the company, the Dragon was never really in the Main Event picture. The beginning of the end came for the Dragon as he turned bad guy, launching an unprovoked attack on AC Smith, who was regarded as the top face in the company at the time. The lacklustre fued that followed was short-lived, and with the Cross character left in limbo, he was phased out of AWA programming. Cross returned for the final show before the company closed its doors, and for the AWA Reunion show some months later, earning victories in both. Faith Simpson The development of Faith Simpson has gone down as one of Mark's proudest moments in his career to date. Nobody really expected the rollercoaster ride that would follow when 15-year old Faith Simpson turned up to train at Mark's "Dragon's Lair Gym" in New Orleans. Within weeks, Cross had released Leon "Octane" McKane from his mentoring duties so he could work with Faith full-time, and the Dragon was always close by to keep a keen eye on the third-generation wrestler. Faith went on to follow in Mark's footsteps, joining Galveston Island Wrestling, where she captured the Legacy title in her second ever match. She is the youngest champion in GIW history. Wrestling Style Having cut his teeth in Japan, Cross adopted Japanese Strong Style, a combination of stiff, varied striking, underpinned by a technical power moveset. Personal Life Mark married his wife Amanda when he moved to the States and joined the NFL. Amanda had previously lived in Utah. The pair had been enjoying a long-distance relationship for several years up to that point. Cross had initially hoped to make it as a tennis player, starting out in his early teens. He still plays as often as he can. Mark is also a keen poker player, and was able to earn himself a spot as a Team Pokerstars Pro. He has two World Series of Poker bracelets, in 5-card draw and Razz, and a number of other respectable cashes in major tournaments.